


Names

by Mystique84



Series: SportaRobbie Drabbles [6]
Category: LazyTown
Genre: Bullying, Domestic Fluff, Family, M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 16:59:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8853007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystique84/pseuds/Mystique84
Summary: Ella Rotten is the perfect daughter that Robbie, however is the memory of his daughter really holding up? But Stephanie feels there is more behind the perfect doll face.





	

**Author's Note:**

> An AU set in the same universe to the Handshakes.

It wasn’t a well-known fact that Robbie had a daughter. Robbie had many family members the he was constantly trying to avoid, but his daughter was someone that was always out of reach. His Ella. To Robbie she was perfect, well a memory of a person usually is.

He had a relationship with her mother many, many years ago. A lifetime really. A younger man, before he figured out his sexuality and his life in general. Ella’s mother always held that against him. He rarely saw Ella as a young child. Ella's mother, out of spite, moved them away. Robbie blamed himself for years, if he had just kept it secret then maybe he would have his daughter and the occasions he saw her, Ella’s mother made sure it was always mistimed and awkward. Robbie was angry at everything, it wasn’t fair what happened and Robbie took it out on the world. He wasn’t the best of men before Ella was taken from him but after she was gone he was certainty one of the worst. He was in a constant state of depression, and wouldn’t one be if they blamed themselves for their family leaving? Robbie’s brothers always tried to make him feel better but they inadvertently always made it worse, sending him on a darker spiral.

One day a little girl came into his shop in LazyTown, she was a few years younger than his Ella but Robbie was having a particularly bad day and couldn’t handle any little people. It heart his heart. So he snarled and snapped until the child and her friends left. And he knew going to the park was always bad but he couldn’t help it, it was where they last played….so long ago. But there she was again, that little pink girl, she was cheeky, quick, loud and it infuriated Robbie. How dare she make him feel anything than hatred, she made him feel jealous, jealous of what life he could have had.

He wasn't following the girl but he ran into her again and again and every time it was like waking from a deep sleep, she was so alive, so out of the ordinary. He didn’t mean to find her father, Sportacus, at the gym and fall in love with him. He didn’t mean to. It turned out that little pink girl was the best thing that ever happened, Sportacus and Stephanie made him feel alive again. They were both so alive. They bought colours, laughter, love and happiness back into his bleak world. Robbie was inspired to get Ella back into his life. He fought in the court to get Ella back and with equal custody and was horrified to find that Ella’s mother had passed. Only a few months it seemed and Ella was fine with grandparents, but Robbie felt it was the most horrible and petty way to die. It was Ella’s mother to a T. The girl was being driven to the house he, Sportacus and Stephanie shared in LazyTown, it was over 4 hours from Ella’s town but Robbie had set up roots. Sportacus owned the gym here, and Robbie had his store, Stephanie had school and and all her friends.

A little puttering bug pulled up in front of the cosy home, two old people sat in the front while a black haired person sat in the back. Robbie suddenly had a panic attack and fell against Sportacus, “Oh god I made a mistake.” Robbie whispered. “What if she’s like her mother. I haven’t seen her in two years. Oh god.”

Sportacus took a hold of his arm, gripping it hard, trying to bring him back to reality, “Don’t. Panic. She loves you Robbie. She wouldn’t have agreed to come all this way if she didn’t.”

“You don’t know that, Sportadork!” Robbie hissed, “What if she hates…this.” He said, gesturing between them, “God I can’t give you up and I can’t give her up again.” Robbie was slowly spiralling out of control and Sportacus took Robbie’s face in his other hand that wasn’t still holding his arm.

“If anything happens, I will be here. Stephanie is here as well. We are a family and I’m sure Ella can’t wait to join our family. Remember how excited she sounded on the phone? She knows about me and Stephanie, Robbie. She knows you’re gay and she is _still here_. She wants to be part of your world.” Robbie took in deep shaking breaths as Sportacus rubbed his back in soothing motions, “Okay, we got to go over, she’s waiting.” Taking a shaking breath in and then letting it go, then in Robbie walked over, not wanting to lose his grip. Sportacus followed, smiling as Robbie started to play with the bottom hem of his black shirt, clearly nervous as he finally released that breath of air as he reached down and took the door handle.

Two older people got out of the car and talked to Robbie for a short time as Stephanie watched from the window inside. She was trying to catch a glimpse of her new sister. She didn’t really know a lot about her but Sportacus told Stephanie that Robbie didn’t know a lot about Ella either and it was going to be an adjustment living together. Stephanie loved Robbie like her second dad, she even called him Papa sometimes. He had been dating her dad now for a year and a half and it was awesome, they all lived together in her house which was great because Robbie’s old apartment was kind of kind of cold and didn’t have a great big backyard. Stephanie had the best dads in the world and now she was getting sister, she had a whole family now, just like Trixie and Pixel. She saw someone else getting out of the car and Robbie crying and leaning down. She couldn’t wait any more and even though her dads told her to wait inside and wait for them to get her, she just couldn’t. It was too exciting. Stephanie got off her window bay and ran down the stairs and outside, swinging open the door. She ran over to Sportacus’ side and finally saw her, Ella. She was a bit taller than her, she was pale as milk with midnight black hair. She also had the exact same eyes as Robbie! She was so pretty, like a doll. “Wow.”

“Stephanie, I thought I told you to wait upstairs.” Sportacus scolded her. Taking her shoulder and looking at Robbie. Robbie smiled through his joyful tears, Stephanie was so much like Sportacus, she couldn’t wait for anything. Robbie couldn’t blame her.

Ella was perfect, exactly like he remembered her. The little scrubby picture he had of her was very outdated because she had grown so much. She was a perfect young lady of 10 and from what her grandparents were nattering in his ears was exactly like him in most areas. She excelled in all her studies, she was a little troublesome sometimes, she loved sweets and cakes over vegetables and her grandparents were telling ‘Robin’ to watch out for that. Robbie wish he knew more of these things himself personally and he will, he will learn these things for himself. Finally, the grandparents were tired and waved the new family goodbye, they were to drive part way home apparently and stay at an inn (Sportacus didn’t want them to drive tired). Ella, Sportacus and Robbie took all the boxes and bags from the small car and had them on the lawn and waved goodbye to the little car.

“I’m going to see them still, right Father?” Ella asked, her little voice wavering. The first indication she was unconfident with the whole thing. Robbie was down on his knees in seconds and holding Ella’s shoulders.

“You can talk to them all the time and we can see them whenever you need, okay?” And father and daughter embraced.

Sportacus wiped away a tear, Robbie had worked so hard for this, months of worrying, late nights and planning and it finally came to fruit. She was finally here. Yet, Stephanie didn’t know why, she felt something dark inside of her, it was very, very small and she squashed it immediately but watching her Papa with his _own_ daughter was confronting. She wasn’t the only little girl in her life anymore.

 

 

Robbie was so proud of Ella, she was excelling in school despite the small awkwardness of midyear entry, her performance in ballet was outstanding, she even invited him and Sportacus to watch. Ella was getting on with the same kids as Stephanie. And the family was getting on fine since last week when Ella arrived. It was…fine.

The girls were currently at the park and Robbie was watching from Sportacus’ gym. 

Although Stephanie wasn’t really playing, she was having a snack. Highly unsual for her to be by herself at the park.

Sportacus was doing about a hundred (not really exaggerating) chin ups while Robbie was partially watching him, drinking very sweet coffee and watching Stephanie. “I think something is wrong, Sporty.” Robbie told Sportacus, scratching his chin.

“Why do you think that.” Sportacus puffed.

“Pixie isn’t playing with the kids.”

Sportacus jumped down, taking the towel Robbie handed him and wiping off the sweat, “Mm, I thought the same thing but I didn’t want to say anything, you would just think I was being over protective again.”

Robbie took a deep sip of his coffee and let it heat up his body before he turned to Sportacus, “What are you thinking?”

Sportacus put the towel down and grabbed the water, then sat next to Robbie, “I’m a little worried you won’t like what I have to say. If Steph is anything like me, I think you better talk to her about this and not have me say what I think she’s thinking.”

Mulling that over, the taller of the two nodded, “I’ll talk to her if she hasn’t got up in 5.”

Sportacus smiled, “Gives me time to do this.” He then tried to kiss and hug and get his very sweaty body over his very clean boyfriend.

“Ewwwww, stop!” Robbie laughed and half fought off, “Nooooo, you’re so weird.”

Meanwhile in the park Stephanie just watched her friends with Ella. Ella was the same age as Pixel and both of them were in the same class at school, he had been helping her catch up. Ziggy was fascinated with her, seeing as she was new and Robbie Rotten’s daughter. Ella managed to win over Stingy by giving him parts of her lunch she didn’t want, she still didn’t like Sportscandy and Stingy was glad to snatch it off her when she offered it. Everyone _loved_ Ella and Stephanie was feeling very lonely. At least she had Trixie, but even her best friend in the entire world Stephanie felt she was losing her as well. The thing was, Ella was a little bad, she wasn’t evil but her last name certainty made sense. Rotten. Ella was causing trouble everywhere, tripping over people, leaving rolling toys on the ground or fake snakes, stealing from other people and then putting it back after they got mad. It was sneaky bad and Stephanie felt bad for not saying anything, but Robbie nor Sportacus couldn’t see it. Trixie loved chaos and to have Ella play these deliciously good pranks on people made Trixie want to hang out with Ella today and not Stephanie.

Stephanie felt like she should say something to someone, that Ella was doing rotten things to other people, or how sometimes Ella played those tricks specifically on her. How her friends were liking Ella so much more than her and it made her feel left out, how Stephanie felt ignored. Even by her dads. But Ella was new, maybe she was just playing jokes and everyone was just trying to be nice.

Stephanie got up to play again and tried to join in the game, “Hey, what are we playing?”

“Oh hey Stephanie, Ella was just showing us some dance moves that she learnt at her school.” Ziggy told her.

Stephanie strained a smile, that exclusive ballet school…oh. Trixie jumped around and tried to imitate a move and Ella went over and actually helped her, Trixie smiled and thanked her, “Yeah, it was amazing! She’s so good, she’s won medals and trophies and she got to dance on live TV once, isn’t that so cool?”

“Oh, yeah….cool.” Stephanie smiled.

Ella smiled at her, patting down her poofy skirt, “ _We_ were about to play a game but it doesn’t work with an even number. And I’ve already explained the rules to them. You don’t mind sitting out this round do you, _pixie?”_

Stephanie shrugged, “That’s fine, I’ll watch or I might start my homework.”

“Kay.” Ella smiled, her grey eyes steely and cold. Stephanie sat down again and sighed, she didn’t want to say anything and make the whole situation worse. If she went to her dads then Ella might be worse or she might make Ella feel unwanted. Stephanie just wanted to cry, she didn’t think having a sister would be so hard.

A strong hand gripped her shoulder and she looked up; the tall pinstriped figure of her papa was there looking very concerned, “Hey, what’s wrong pixie?” Stephanie’s lower lip started to quiver and Robbie felt the fatherly pull and fell to the ground and held his daughter as she started to weep. He whispered nonsense words of comfort into her strangely pink hair, stroking her back up and down. Robbie and Stephanie just held each other, the little girls arms holding on for dear life, the adult her life vessel from sinking into whatever she was thinking. “Stephanie, it’s alright. It’s okay, I’m here.” He told her. “Whatever happened tell me, I’ll try to help.”

“Promise.” Stephanie asked.

“I pinkie promise.” The pair gave a watery chuckle at the inside joke. From afar Ella watched on as the pair talked, her heart felt the consuming hatred grow more and more. Robbie realised that his Ella wasn’t picture perfect and he would have to have a serious talk to her. That he was glad that he was a good parent this time around and he caught it, Stephanie had been feeling this way for a few days but to Robbie this was a few days too many. Ella was going to get a parental discussion, and he knew that he had to do it. For his WHOLE family.

 

 

“Ella, what’s going on.”

Ella felt cold. She and her father had been the last ones at the dinner table, Sportacus had made a wonderful meal, vegetarian for himself with sides of meat for Sportacus and Ella, and she made sure to thank him. Stephanie wasn’t even at dinner; she was over at Trixie’s.

“Ella?” Ella focused on her nails, she should clean them before her next ballet class. “Ella?” Robbie called again, yes she should absolutely clean her nails, paint it a light shade of lavender maybe, “Ruella.” Oh dear, she hadn’t heard that name for a long time, not even her mother…mother wasn’t the most disciplinary sort of person. She wanted Ella to be the best but if Ella did something a little rotten her mother shrugged it off. And then Ella stole, and tripped and cheated and still, her mother shrugged it off. Ella felt that half the time her mother only wanted Ella to hurt her father. Ella tapped her fingers and Robbie sighed, Father was frustrated with her. He was sick of her.

When Ella didn't answer him Robbie came to sit next to Ella but she kept looking at her nails, ignoring him, avoiding the conversation. Nannies were a constant in her life, and she loved those people like older siblings but they had to move on eventually. Ella was thankful for them because if it was just her mother, she would probably be a lot like her and hate her father for simply being himself. Because of those open minded people who raised her, she knew that love was blind. It only made her miss Robbie more, those years without him were awful but she couldn’t say a word…not a word. Ella tapped her nails against the table and tried to look out for Sportacus, but it was just her and Robbie in the cosy little dining room. “Ruella, please look at me.”

Feeling ever colder and knowing that Robbie must want to send her back to her grandparents, she looked up. But she was determined not to cry, pity would not keep her here. “Yes?”

“I know you have been very unkind to Stephanie, what is going on?” Robbie asked, his tone harsh and short. It was a question she had to answer even though it felt like the air was sucked out of her chest.

Looking at her nails again, Ella tapped away before glaring at Robbie. “Precious Pixie is just a little jealous that I’m getting more attention than her.”

Robbie glared right back, “That’s not it and you are smart enough to know that. I’ve talked to Stephanie and I’ve noticed her.” Ella felt her heart grow darker and her anger grew.

“Oh, so you’ve been paying attention to her then?”

“Of course I have. She’s my daughter. And you have been hurting her, leaving her out of games with _her_ friends that she’s introduced you too, doing other little things like taking her things. She has also told me other things you have been doing and I wasn’t inclined to believe them until I noticed a few oddings going on which I just…I just didn’t seem to notice before.” Robbie rounded the table and sat at the chair next to the little purple girl, “You keep doing these things and every kid is allowed to be a little mischievous but you have _bullied_ Stephanie.” Ella felt so mad and cold and she couldn’t stand it, she turned away and felt water come to her eyes, “Ella, this isn’t okay. I’m not sure what your mother did with you but you can’t do this stuff.”

“Fine. Send me away father. I ruin your perfect family.”

Hand on the table, Robbie scrunched up the table cloth, “What?” he felt his heart stop.

“You don’t want me, your daughter that reminds you of a hateful _bitch._ You have your wonderful partner and your precious pixie and a house and a good job and friends and everything is great and I feel-” Ella whipped her head back and glared at Robbie. “I was a mistake. You never wanted me.”

Feeling tears running down his face he just grabbed his very angry purple daughter, she struggled and tried to break free, “I didn’t-I always wanted _you_ Ella.” Ella stopped moving, but she didn’t relax. “I didn’t love your mom the same way she loved me and that probably hurt her and she wanted to hurt me by taking you away but trust me Ella, I wanted you back in my arms every day. I wanted you with me. And I didn’t realise I could do it without Sportacus and Stephanie.”

“You like her more than me.” Ella snarled, “Even though _I’m_ your daughter you like her more.”

“You’re both my daughters. I love you both equally. Blood doesn’t matter.”

Ella started to relax in his arms, and she let go a tiny little secret that she felt utterly stupid for holding onto, “Then…how come everyone gets a nick name and I don’t?”

“Huh?” Robbie asked, stroking Ella’s back, trying to relax her.

Ella looked up and wiped her face, her little grey eyes were blown wide with tears and she looked so sad that Robbie wanted to hold her close forever. Her bottom lip wavered as she spoke and she looked like the little girl he left behind, “You call Sportacus ‘Blue Elf’ sometimes, I heard you. And you call Stephanie ‘Pixie’ all the time. I’m just Ella…”

Chuckling and kissing Ella’s hair Robbie just felt ridiculous, Ella felt left out and it’s because of nicknames, it was so ridiculous. Ella wasn’t rotten to the core…she just felt lonely, she must have felt that way for a long time, before she even came here. “I didn’t think you wanted one, I never got to see you and you were always my _Ella_. They actually started as insults, but now I guess they are cute nicknames, I didn't think about it. I thought I was pushing it if I called you one of my silly little nicknames.”

Shaking her head and jumping, Ella wiped away her tears and asked, “Did you have one for me and you never called me it?”

“Yeah, although I was just saying it to myself, it’s a secret.”

“What is it?”

“I was calling you, it’s stupid, I was calling you Nymph. You were doing the dance of the water nymphs and it was so perfect and nymphs are just so troublesome and beautiful. They are tricky little things.”  Robbie kissed Ella’s head again, “You were always a little troublemaker for the short time I had you.” Robbie sighed heavily, resting his long chin against Ella’s head, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there Nymph.” He whispered.

Ella knew at that moment that everything was going to be alright. She fit just fine in this family. She felt awful for what she was doing before, especially to Stephanie, it wasn’t Stephanie’s fault. She would say sorry, she would say sorry till the cows came home. Tomorrow was a new day and Ella felt like a new girl especially talking to her father…father…it felt rather formal.

Oh wait, what had Stephanie called Robbie? “I love you, Papa.”

“I love you Nymph.”

**Author's Note:**

> This one I've been working on for a while, once again it would be a lot more intense if I had multiple chapters but I had fun playing with the characters. I think this might be the final part of the Handshakes universe unless I feel inspired like that random brothers fic I did. 
> 
> I'm finishing off the second part to the The Teacher as we read so that should be coming any day now. I was preoccupied with family trouble but I would once again like to appreciate Stefan Karl, this whole meme has made this really difficult time in my life not so hard. This LazyTown fandom has made me smile and laugh and my friend knows that and for a christmas present made me a $3 framed trash meme and I laughed so hard. If your life has changed for the better please donate to Stefan's Gofundme or make a meme or leave a heart on someone's work.  
> https://www.gofundme.com/2tm9tqk


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